Tax Implications of Your Stock Options

Attracting and retaining high-performing employees is critical to the success of any emerging company. A key ingredient to securing the right talent base is an attractive and aligned remuneration plan. Most emerging companies will structure their remuneration plan leveraging three key elements: a competitive base salary, a short-term bonus plan, and a long-term incentive plan (LTI) that typically comes in the form of a stock option plan. The base salary and bonus plan are typically structured to align the individual and the company against critical objectives, and normally present in the form of cash compensation. The LTI plan, on the other hand, is structured with a longer-term horizon in mind, and is intended to align the company, employees, and shareholders for long-term value creation.

While an integral way for emerging companies to attract top talent, employees need to understand the type of LTI vehicle used, and tax implications from a vesting, exercising and selling perspective.

In general, there are two basic kinds of stock options: statutory stock options and nonstatutory stock options (NSOs). Both generally allow the recipient to buy stock at a fixed price for a defined number of years into the future. By doing so, the option holder takes part in the overall value creation of the company. The award will typically vest over a pre-determined period of time, or upon certain milestone achievements. Once shares are vested, the holder has the option of selling the earned shares. There are, however, significant differences between the two types of awards from a tax perspective.

Statutory stock options include incentive stock options (ISOs) and options granted under employee stock purchase plans. Upon grant and exercise of ISOs, there are generally no tax consequences to the employee. However, the employee may be subject to alternative minimum tax in the year of exercise. Upon sale of the stock received by exercising the ISOs, the employee will generally have capital gain or loss if the stock acquired on exercise is held for at least two years from the date of grant and one year after the ISOs were exercised.

NSOs are not taxed to the employee receiving them when granted unless the options have a readily ascertainable fair market value at that time (this generally includes marketable securities). If the options do not have a readily ascertainable fair market value when granted, the employee is taxed on the gain from the options at the time of exercise or transfer (even if the fair market value becomes readily ascertainable before the exercise or transfer). Unlike statutory stock options, upon exercise of NSOs, an employee will have compensation income (taxed as ordinary income) equal to the difference between the fair market value of the stock at the time of exercise and the price paid for the stock (if any). If the options are sold, then the employee will have compensation income equal to the gain on disposition. The sale of the stock received by exercising NSOs will generally result in capital gain or loss (and are not subject to the special holding period requirement discussed above for ISOs).

ISOs are generally considered more tax friendly than NSOs, but both employees and employers need to be aware of the tax scheme.

Navigating the tax treatment of options can get complex quickly; it would be wise to reach out to a tax professional before making the ultimate decision of receiving or exercising equity compensation.

Ethan Zook is an associate in the firm’s Corporate Department, resident in its Exton, PA office.

Jacob M. Oksman is an associate in the firm’s Taxation & Wealth Planning Department, resident in its New York office.

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